Stuff I Ate

Sweet Simplicity

2010-07-26T17:21:00.025-04:00

(I know, I know, I've been restaurant-heavy lately on the blog. Listen, it's hot as all hell in NYC right now, and 10x hotter in my kitchen, so we're keeping things light and breezy. But THIS recipe, my friends, is worth heating up the house...and it only takes a few minutes under the broiler!!)

Got 5 minutes? Then you can whip up an amazing, sweet-tart dessert that tastes like summer..and it features one of my very favorite fruits: raspberries! Once again, thank you, Deb @ SmittenKitchen.com!!!

Three ingredients--THREE--are all you need, and I bet you have them on hand already: raspberries, sour cream, brown sugar. Fold the raspberries (or any summer berry) and the sour cream (or Greek yogurt or regular yogurt) together gently and spread in a shallow dish, such as this lovely little number from IKEA (love!)

Crumble the brown sugar on top and pop it under the broiler until it starts caramelizing. HOLY. YUM. Your guests don't need to know how easy it is to assemble!

Sure, it won't be the most delicate-looking dessert ever to leave your kitchen, but I promise you it will go over like gangbusters with your guests. Or just you.

Eat it right away. Just do it. Make it. Enjoy it. I did.

I also split the recipe, making only half the amount for myself, and making mini-gratins in 2 small ramekins, which I ate the next morning with breakfast. Sure, the sugar isn't crunchy anymore, but the flavors will still make your tongue sing.

Stuffed Peppers

2010-07-23T15:17:00.006-04:00

My coworker Patty is always talking about her mother's cooking (her mother's family is Sicilian and Northern Italian), and I have long been wanting to try it. My wish came true last week when Patty brought me one of her mom's homemade stuffed peppers.

And yea, it was very, very good. Green peppers can seem bitter to me sometimes when they're cooked, but this one was perfect. It still had bite and substance, but was easy to cut into as well. Stuffed with a moist, tender, gorgeous meatball, all under a river of red sauce ("gravy," as Patty's mom calls it). I don't care what you call it..it's delicious. A pleasant surprise on top: NO RICE INSIDE! I'm not a huge fan of rice, so I didn't miss this at all--more room for meat!!!

For all the wonderful restaurants and food carts and trucks, it just never really gets as good as home cooking, right?

Thanks, Patty, and Patty's mom!

Olives New York

2010-07-15T17:39:00.069-04:00

A favorite friend (and fellow foodie) of mine was free for lunch today (you can see her review here!), when I had a rare afternoon show off (meaning I could eat lunch at a normal hour in a RESTAURANT, not hunched over a keyboard!), so we met at Olives New York, a Todd English establishment, to take advantage of Restaurant Week lunch specials. Restaurant Week is a great time to try places you might not otherwise hit--while they offer a limited menu and often slightly smaller portions, it's still usually a good representation of the food and a chance to try it without spending too much money.

Mmm...bread.

A basket of bread and a colorful dish of olive tapenade appeared as soon as we sat down at our table. The bread had lovely caramelized onions baked into the chunks, and the tapenade had some juicy and delicious olives of all colors.

The tapenades were both delicious, but I found myself going back again and again for the salty, tangy black olive version. I am crazy about this stuff--I need to hunt down a good recipe to make at home. This stuff is WONDERFUL slathered onto a sandwich instead of mayo!

I knew the second I saw it that the beet salad would be mine, oh yes, it would be mine. It was beautiful and absolutely lovely. Tender, roasted beets, a creamy sauce, and crunchy, salty pistachios.

Aren't they gorgeous?? Pretty, pretty, colorful deliciousness.

Sara ordered a glass of Chenin Blanc, while I opted for the "Olives Up," with vodka infused with pineapple and ginger, with a sugar rim that was just sweet enough. This was good, but not amazing. I'm not sure what Sara thought of her wine, but my drink was just okay.

Sara is allergic to peppers of all kind: red, green, chili, jalapeno, you name it. Is it a pepper? Then don't feed it to her. She immediately told the server and he was very diligent, checking on the dish and reporting that there was jalapeno juice in the trout dish we both wanted for our entrée. Great news for me (I love spicy things), bad news for her. The quail dish also had pepper elements to it, so she was left to the third and final option, Peas & Ravioli. She said that generally, pasta at Olive's is really good, so she wasn't too, too disappointed.

It was a lovely-looking dish. She was kind enough to share a bite, and I found it yummy. The cheese filling was more layered than I expected, in a very good way.

My trout dish was a beauty. It came beautifully resting atop a bed of spicy beans, and sprinkled with fresh, fresh, cherries. The trout was perfectly cooked, super moist, and absolutely delicious. Some of the beans weren't cooked as evenly as others, but guess what? I ate them all anyway. The jalapeno juice was a nice addition--it gave it heat without searing the tastebuds.

I dug a little underneath the fish and saw... BACON! Thick, chewy, salty, slightly sweet BACON! Oh my, this was tasty. I ate it slowly, savoring each chewy mouthful of saltastic flavor.

We couldn't decide between the two panna cottas for dessert: blueberry and chocolate--so we got both and shared them. I'm so happy to have friends who don't mind sharing food. :)

These were just lovely. They could have easily been a throwaway dish, but they came just as thoughtfully presented as our other dishes, and each one was great in its own right. The chocolate was rich, creamy, and intense, and the watermelon sorbet was OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD. I'd go back just for a chance to sit down and eat more of this sorbet.

The blueberry version was delicious, too, with Maine blueberries in the sauce. The crunchy things tasted an awful lot like Kix cereal to me (and the chocolate ones, which I liked better, tasted Cocoa-Puffy to me).

From start to finish, this meal was a delight. Our server was great, attentive but not smothering, he actually listened to Sara's allergy info, and our food was spot on. At 27 dollars for all 3 courses, it was beyond worth it. I'll definitely go back to Olives!

Caliente Cab Company

2010-07-11T12:07:00.025-04:00

My coworkers and I met last week to send off one of our radio hosts, who was packing up her family and moving across the globe. We picked a spot close to our studio, Caliente Cab Company on 3rd Avenue. This is not my favorite place, but it was within walking distance of the studio and blah blah blah.

Happy Hour is pretty darn decent here, IF you sit at the bar (remember this for later), that is. 4.50 for a house margarita on the rocks? Si, por favor! My coworker and I were closest to the restaurant, so we got there first and grabbed seats at the bar. This was in the final game of the World Cup, and I think we might have been the only 2 people there not really paying attention (until the last minute, that is). We were the only people at the bar, too, but we still had to wait a while to get our bartender's attention, and he was still half-turning away from us before we finished sentences. The hell? We were polite, we weren't demanding, but would it have killed him to at least PRETEND our patronage was welcomed, nay, even tolerated? Sigh.

The 'rita was tart and crisp and hey, for $4.50, I'm happy. It's not a rock-your-socks-off 'rita, but it was cold and icy and tasty. That makes me happy.

We ordered a small portion of the guac (yes this is the SMALL) and even asked if we could have celery sticks instead of deep-fried tortilla chips. They were quite accomodating and we appreciated it. Have you ever put guac on a celery stick? Do it.

The guac was pretty yum--I like some chunks in my guac as opposed to a pea soup-like puree (though I won't ever turn down either!), and the flavors were bright and cooling. My only complaint (a frequent one) is that we ordered medium spicy and we clearly got mild. In fact, it was so mild it might have actually sucked the heat out of other nearby dishes as well. It was perfectly salted, though, so I'll end on an upbeat comment there. ;)

More folks arrived after our first round, and the guest of honor ordered her favorite, a raspberry margarita (hello! Who loves raspberry? THIS GAL!), which I didn't even consider because I assumed that meant frozen (the frozen ones are just too sweet and hit me too hard too fast).

I was WRONG. It was on the rocks--and I quickly ordered one for myself. This is sweet, yes, but has a strong raspberry flavor. Not too bad. Did I mention $4.50???

Sadly, I had to leave just as the party was starting, but I came by later at the end of the night, when the whole group was supposed to be there. Half the folks had left, but the party had moved... OUTSIDE. (Say it with me.. NOoooooo!!) Well, guess what? Everything ordered outside was now double and triple the price. What I hate, or at least resent, about CCC, is that they seem to go out of their way to mislead people. My first trip there, it was CLEAR we thought Happy Hour extended outside. We even asked our server how much time was left in HH, etc, only to receive a crazy, full-priced bill. Well guess what happened again in my absence? The same damn thing. Service is also pretty bad. I don't know if the waitstaff have a horrible working environment or everyone is always having a bad day, but this was CCC's third and final strike with me. If you're in the neighborhood and need a cheap 'rita fix, pop in...but don't invite me to join you! Okay..maybe for just one...but then I'm LEAVING!

Bang-Up Breakfast

2010-07-07T07:50:00.021-04:00

I'm a little hooked on veggie omelets right now. It's my favorite way to sneak in some more vegetables into the diet while also filling up with good protein. I had a Trader Joe's red pepper that went a long way last week. I used it in two salads, as a snack (dipping into hummus), and finally, the last few dices went into my eggs.

I think a few years ago, I would have tossed this pepper. It was starting to get a little wrinkled. Not soft and gross, just...tired. I think the more I play with my food, the braver and more judicious I get. But guess what..you can't really tell once you dice that baby up into ruby red pieces of yum.

I sautéed the peppers for about 2 minutes on their own, then added the shallots.

Then it was just another minute or so until I added the eggs, which I'd whisked and seasoned with salt, pepper, and a splash of half and half.

I had to add a little extra, so I took three slices of avocado and sprinkled it with diced red onion and lime juice--my current salad of the summer. This is SO good.

Three simple ingredients never tasted so good, I promise.

You know how everyone says they don't have time to make breakfast in the morning? I get that, I do. On the days when I have to wake up at 4am, heck yeah, I pop a protein shake and go, but just try it once or twice. This breakfast, from start to finish, took less than 8 minutes. Eight minutes!!! And it kept me full all morning. What's your favorite way to start the day?

Ammos Estiatoro

2010-07-03T18:37:00.072-04:00

We went on another of our awesome quarterly business lunches a few weeks ago, and our gracious host, Dr. S, brought us to Ammos Estiatorio, just across the street from Grand Central Station.

My coworker Patty and I arrived first, and we were 15 minutes early, so we figured we'd wait a bit in the lobby. However, the hostess immediately led us to our seating upstairs in a loft area, which required a walk up a sweet spiral staircase.

We found our table tucked in the corner in a lovely spot. It was a little dark up there, but a fun place. I slipped over to the edge of our loft and looked down on the dining room--they were clearly expecting more big groups (apparently some sort of seminar was happening in the area, dozens and dozens of people showed up about 30 minutes later)

It did take a good long while even to get a glass of water, which was not fun on a day as hot as that one (I believe it hit about 102). I was about to go over and just grab the pitcher myself! It took about 20 minutes for someone to stop at our table and get us water. I totally understand they don't take food orders when 3/4 of your group isn't there yet, but for the love of God, someone water me!!!

Once more of our party arrived, we started with appetizers. First we got the haloumi, a seared sheep's milk cheese, which came with sliced peaches and lightly-dressed watercress. Amaaazing! The peaches were perrrrfect. Ahh, summer, I do love your fruits.

And hello, of course, tzatziki! It had a heckuva lot of dill in it, but it was good. Not great, but good! ABF's tzatziki is outta this world, so the bar is pretty high for me. The grilled pita was scrumptious.

Why does grilling make shrimp taste exponentially more awesome?? I don't know the answer, but I do know it's true. I had two of these babies--deeeelightful.

We also got an assortment of dips and spreads: taramasalata (fish roe), tzatziki, and 2 others I can't remember! The garlicky dip was thick and insanely yum. Wow.

Another must-order jewel? The Greek salad. Bright, clean, so, so fresh--I went back a few times to have more of the crunchy, colorful veggies in the perfect mix of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and oregano. This was delightful--just scrumptious.

Coming in under the 'just meh' category were the zucchini fritters. They were just a little too dilly for me, and just not that great. I'd pass on these next go around.

Another colleague got the lamb moussaka--about the only non-seafood item on the menu (she's allergic), and while she said it was a bit heavy, it was also delicious.

Two others ordered the lamb pita--I had a bite and it was soft, delicious, and well-seasoned. Yum.

Our sides were yummy, too: grilled asparagus and roasted potatoes brushed with bright, tart lemon juice.

For my entrée, I ordered the tsipoura, or dorado fish. It came grilled with lemon on the side. This was also good, but not great. I much prefer the grilled fish at Avra, but this was still good. He also had quite a set of chompers on him--look at those teeth! It's good to be on the top of the food chain :)

We found out at the end of our meal that our server was also the sommelier. They must have been quite short-staffed! We should have realized it sooner, however. The wine he suggested for our table was sensational. I've had less than stellar experiences with Greek wine until now, but this one was remarkable. I will definitely keep an eye out for it (note: it was around 65 dollars FOR THE BOTTLE...we didn't ask and didn't see the price until we got the check!) Eep! Thankfully, Doctor S was treating--thank you again!!

Overall, we had a great time, ate to our hearts' content, and enjoyed ourselves, but I would recommend a few other Greek restaurants before this one. It was good, but it was also very expensive, and I think places such as Avra would be my choice first. If you're in the area though, definitely try the Greek salad, grilled shrimp, and the garlic dip!!!

(Desserts post soon!)

Dos Caminos

2010-07-01T15:25:00.021-04:00

It's embarrassing how long ago this meal happened, but life (aka work) has gotten in the way of blogging far too much this year. Allow me to catch up by bringing you one of my more delicious food experiences! I hit up Dos Caminos on Park Avenue South, just steps from Union Square, for a networking lunch months ago. My small group opted to get a pitcher of the red wine sangria for the table...a very tasty move, indeed. It's sweet without being too sweet, the wine flavor still comes through, and there was a delightful assortment of fruit to finish off once the delicious drink was gone.

The guacamole at Dos Caminos is a must-eat for sure. We ordered a medium bowl for the table, and while we requested medium (or spicy, but definitely NOT mild), this was actually quite mild. Still yummy, but didn't have the kick I was hoping to taste. Their cilantro is cut in chiffonades, thin ribbon-like strips, which greatly increases the odds of having a big green piece stuck in your teeth--be warned!

I make pretty damn good quesadillas myself, but the mention of chipotle in Dos Caminos' version hooked me in immediately. Oh my goodness were these delicious. Dripping in butter, too, but tasty as all get-out. I barely ate half, and shared some with my tablemates. No way was I finishing this baby, but I gave it a good effort. Soooo tasty. Not as good as mine, mind you, but pretty freaking close. ;)

My dining companions got the shrimp pizza, which was also tasty. I had a small bite, and it was good, but I was super happy with my dish and went back to taking on the 'dilla!

This was a tastebud-pleasing, belly-filling meal that left me longing for a siesta, but it definitely wasn't cheap. Worth the occasional splurge, but a little too pricey for me to make it a regular stop. Back when my old roommate Anapalooza worked at DC (Houston St. branch) it was a little more affordable, and way more fun, but it's still a good place for a delicious, well-put together meal--just bring your dinero and prepare to spend it!

Roasted Tomatoes

2010-06-30T08:23:00.011-04:00

Normally I avoid using my oven as much as possible in this blasted heat, but when I saw grape tomatoes last week, looking all shiny and delicious at Trader Joe's, I had to try this recipe I've been saving for a while. It was featured in a Martha Stewart living; chef Tony Esnault roasts the tomatoes simply and then puts them on zucchini rounds (I can't find the link anywhere online, but you'll soon see how dead simple this is!)

Take the (washed and patted dry) tomatoes, scatter them in an oven-proof skillet (such as my kick-butt cast iron baby). Place 3-4 garlic cloves throughout the dish, drizzle with a little olive oil, then sprinkle on a light dash of salt. The original recipe calls for fresh thyme and marjoram, but I had neither, and a quick run to the corner store proved fruitless, so I used dried marjoram. Still tasty.

Pop these ruby beauties in a 400 degree oven until the tomatoes start to burst, which will be about 25-30 minutes. I opened the oven about halfway through and gave the skillet a good shake, making sure the tomatoes all got covered evenly in the olive oil. Your kitchen, hot as it might be on a warm summer evening, will smell divine.

Shockingly, I had no zucchini on hand this week, so I served them on their own. I had a half cup with dinner last night, and then reheated some more this morning with my breakfast omelet and avocado salad (just a few slices of avocado drizzled with lime juice and diced red onion-YUM). Delicious--and so good for you!!!!And I KNOW I don't have to tell you how amazing the roasted garlic is. Deeeelish!

Have Burger, Will Travel

2010-06-27T18:01:00.024-04:00

Holey moley I have a new favorite burger. I've had it two weekends in a row, and just thinking about how good it is makes me want to hop on the LIRR again. Rockville Centre's Golden Reef Diner does a lot of things well, but right now, nothing beats their Fiesta Burger. I'm trying to be healthier these days so I opted not to get the fries. They're not that good for you, but fries are also a food I can easily skip without feeling deprived.

You know I have that thing with mushrooms, still a little afraid of them and whatnot (fungus!) But I dared to 'when in Rome' it, and it was a delicious payoff. What looks like an INSANE amount of mushrooms for one burger is actually perfect. The burger comes with bed of sautéed (but not burned) onions, Monterey Jack cheese, and I plunked a hefty portion of the chunky, surprisingly flavorful salsa on top. Freaking yum.

ABF tried a bite and liked it so much, I was happy to share even more of my burger. I'm nice like that. ;) Juicy, flavorful, perfectly cooked. This is burger perfection! It was just as good a week later when I went back (though that time they'd sautéed the mushrooms WITH the onions, and it might have been even BETTER!) This is one messy meal, but it is oh-so-freaking-worth it. It's even steps from the Rockville Centre train station (about 30 minutes from Penn Station in NYC), so it's easy access! Win, win, win, win, WIN!

Chevy's

2010-06-26T14:56:00.029-04:00

You don't go to Chevy's for the best Mexican food ever. You go to Chevy's (at least the one in Times Square) because it's connected to the movie theater where certain people (LKP, Melanie & Patty) may have just seen a certain movie (MACGRUBER! [explosion sounds]) and found themselves quite hungry.

Our friend Mel had to head back to Jersey, but Patty & I were not going to make it home without sustenance. We walked in, still giggling over the silliness of the film (if you're not a Macgruber fan you will NOT like it, I assure you) and found out we could sit down right away.

Our server brought us each a margarita; I ordered watermelon, Patty ordered lime. We soon realized the flavoring, however, was all in the sugar rimming the glass. Otherwise it was a plain old margarita. Hmm...

We were crazy hungry, but this place is a chain, meaning it's required by NY law to post calorie counts. Few things will halt your dining plans like the number "2,095" next to a former favorite dish. We opted to split a fajita entrée that came with beef, chicken, and shrimp. The word 'pounced' comes to mind when I think of how we acted when the plate arrived.

It was good, and we were ravenous: such a winning combo! I had the shrimp first before moving on to the steak and chicken. The shrimp was actually my favorite!! Not dried out or chewy at all--perfectly juicy and delish.

We had a great, quick server who did not rush us, our food was hot and tasty, and our drinks were ice cold and lip-smacking (though a bit sweet). Not bad! It's definitely not a place I go out of my way to hit, but if you're at the INSANELY huge AMC or Loews on 42nd, it's a safe, affordable bet!

Banc Burger

2010-06-25T06:16:00.019-04:00

Banc Cafe is just a block away from our studio at work, so yeah, we gals have popped in there from time to time. On one particularly sunny but cool day, a coworker and I grabbed some outdoor seating and enjoyed a nice, leisurely meal. I ordered the sirloin burger. YUMNESS!

I got a green salad on the side instead of fries, and holy moley was it delicious, coated ever-so-lightly with my favorite dressing, red wine vinaigrette. The burger was perfectly medium rare, as I requested, and I ate every delicious, juicy bite of it. And yes, you are seeing sautéed white onion AND fresh, crisp, raw red onion in one fell swoop. I heart onions.

My coworker got the salad with grilled shrimp--doesn't it look marvelous? She was quite happy with it. We both enjoyed the thoughtful presentation of the lemon, wrapped in a sachet/cheesecloth type fabric so you could avoid getting any loose seeds in the salad. I love stuff like that!

Dessert came a-callin' our names in the form of an apple-walnut tart. Yes, please! We split it, and it was more than enough. I love apples, walnuts, and buttery goodness all mixed together. Holy yum..it tasted just as good as it looks. The berries were wonderful, too: juicy, bright, and just tart enough. Another win at Banc!

Raspberry Yogurt Cheesy Awesomeness

2010-06-23T15:24:00.004-04:00

Foodbuzz.com's theme this month is smart snacking, and I knew exactly which recipe I'd share. It's not heavy on the pictures, but trust me--this is deeeeelicious!

All you need are fresh raspberries, strained plain yogurt (I took Greek yogurt and strained it overnight anyway), honey, and gingersnaps. I bought the gingersnaps at Trader Joe's (oh, I love thee....)

While you do drain the yogurt overnight, this is an otherwise quick dish. Mix in the raspberries and honey to the yogurt, spread on zingy gingersnaps, and just try to control the urge to eat the entire bowl! Then it's not so much snacking as snarfing. But still, enjoy!

Corner Bistro

2010-06-21T17:28:00.009-04:00

This is where I wish I were right now. Juicy burgers, toasted buns, crispy fries, and maybe an ice cold root beer to wash it down my happy gullet.

It's a no frills, no fuss, all worth the wait place.

I hope your week has some equally delicious moments!

Sausage Balls

2010-06-19T13:50:00.013-04:00

While my roots and heart are in New England (I grew up in Massachusetts & Rhode Island before moving to the middle of America), there are some tasty takeaways I got from Oklahoma that I still love to this day. Sausage balls definitely qualify as a keeper!

This is a recipe I got from Jenezuela's mom on my most recent visit there (for Jenezuela's wedding). It couldn't be simpler! These savory bites are great for breakfast, brunch, parties, snacks, anytime! I like them best with the spicy sausage, but you could use mild/sweet just as easily. And no, I don't want to know how many calories/carbs/fat grams are in these babies!

12 oz packaged sausage (ie the late, great Jimmy Dean's brand)

10 oz packaged Cheddar cheese

¼ c. water

2½ c. Bisquick mix

Brown sausage, but don’t fry until crisp. Chop cheese and melt into sausage in skillet. Add water and mix well. Pour into mixing bowl, then add Bisquick. Roll into balls, place on cookie sheet and bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from sheet, sprinkle with paprika or fresh chopped parsley if desired.

Brinner = Awesome!

2010-06-17T16:57:00.022-04:00

A good while back now, I got the hankering for breakfast for dinner. My friends Inger & Rick call it 'brinner,' which I enjoy saying as much as possible now. I texted Kelli & Kwame and they were both game.
Kwame & I set to making the French toast while Kel made up the scrambled eggs. So. Good. It all came together in mere minutes....for pennies a serving!

For the French toast, I just tossed in a hefty dose of cinnamon (next time I want to try nutmeg!), real vanilla extract, and a super big splash of milk, which I mixed into 3 or 4 eggs. I sautéed the toast in my awesome cast iron skillet while Kel scrambled the buttery, soft eggs. I should have put the toast in the oven for a few minutes...next time! And oh, there will be a next time. Brinner is one of my favorite meals.

and it was delicious! Of course we added some bacon ;).

Are you a Brinner fan, too? I just love it....

and yes, that is raspberry syrup on my pancakes. Ohhhh sacrilicious....

Low-Carb Cheesecake Bites

2010-06-14T13:40:00.019-04:00

While trying to avoid sugar as much as possible, at least at the start of my lower-carb livin', I still had a craving for something desserty. I turned again to George Stella for some help, and his Pecan bon bons recipe caught my eye. They're essentially bitesize cheesecake noms!

These tasty bites are scrumptious and SO easy to make. I was out of pecans, so I used chopped walnuts instead. The nuts, splenda, and vanilla came together before I added the cream cheese. Get your (clean) hands in there and start mooshing it together!

Then you put these babies on a cookie sheet and pop them in the freezer. While the freezer does its job, you make the ganache with baking chocolate, a bit more splenda, and some heavy cream or butter. I opted for butter (yum). I dipped the now-frozen bites in the ganache and put them back in the freezer for another 20 minutes (while I washed up the dishes I'd used). Pop them out, pop them in your mouth, and enjoy!

These are not calorie-free, but they're so rich that there's no way I could eat more than the three-serving size the recipe dictates. They're about the size of a marble, maybe slightly bigger, but so rich and filling that you'll take the edge off your dessert craving without derailing yourself!

Curried Chicken Salad

2010-06-12T20:44:00.017-04:00

It's going to be a long, long time before I eat regular chicken salad again. It took my tastebuds actual DECADES to come to love curry, but the love is here to stay. I'd had curried chicken salad at a friend's bridal luncheon a good 10 years ago, but it's only been in the past few years that I've decided I really enjoy that tang. And not for nothing, but curry is pretty darn good for you!

After ABF's sandwich at Fika, I determined to make this, but I realized I have never owned a jar of curry. Ever! In my life! Until now (thank you, FreshDirect.com!)

It doesn't get much simpler than this: 3 boiled chicken breasts shredded with 2 forks, 3 stalks of celery, a few tablespoons of mayo, and 2 teaspoons of curry! I added the curry one tsp at a time to be safe. Next time, I just might add three. The curry gives it an amazing depth, a warm heat that is NOT spicy, and brings a lunch (and low-carb) favorite to new heights. In a word: YUM.

Vegging Out

2010-06-11T14:29:00.017-04:00

I'll take just a moment to clarify my low-carb stance...I don't mean to suggest I'm sitting down every day to 3 steaks and a stick of butter. That's not my new awesome plan. I'm basically replacing starches and what I call the 'crap carbs' (white bread, flour, sugar), you know, stuff that doesn't really GIVE your body stuff it needs, and putting more veggies there. People with PCOS and/or insulin resistance (like yours truly) do not respond well to big insulin spikes, and the whole idea is to keep your body on a healthy, even keel. So...where I might have had a roll or some chips or even hash browns, I now have veggies. Lots and lots of fresh veggies.

I have even started working extra veggies into breakfast time. Not just in the omelet..but as side dishes. Why I didn't think of this before, I'll never know. But now my morning eggs, whether poached, over easy, or awesomely scrambled, come with a hefty dose of sautéed zucchini and onions. I love zucchini.. I love it raw, roasted, shredded, baked, sauteed, you name it.

What are some other ways YOU squeeze veggies into your meals?

Yakkety Yak (Burger)

2010-06-10T18:13:00.009-04:00

I was looking for a lunch spot a while back with 2 of my lovely coworkers. We were on our way to a usual place when we came near Waterfront Ale House. We decided to take a chance on a new place.

It was just after three when we arrived, so the place was almost empty. We took a seat next to the popcorn machine (you can help yourself while you wait) and persued the menu, which boasts a lot of wild game, including ostrich, bison, and of course, yak.

There were so many choices on that menu that it took us a while to sort it all out for ourselves. Thankfully, we had a patient server.

By the way, if your are a condiment fiend, you are in the right place. More mustards than you can muster to eat, hot sauces of all levels of caliente, and scads o' ketchup and BBQ sauce (they make their own).

Honestly, the yak burger intrigued me, but the actual word 'yak' almost turned my stomach. I had to think about it for a few minutes, that whole mind over matter war I often fight. I mean, seriously, how often do you get the chance to eat yak. Outside of say, Mongolia? I decided to be brave and ordered the yak burger, and I opted for waffle fries.

I asked our server how the kitchen recommends it be cooked, and she said medium-rare (a touch more rare than I normally get my burgers). I dug deep, powered through, and said go for it!

That is one piiiiiiiiink burger. I took a deep breath before taking a big bite. The meat tasted almost, well, slightly sweet at first. The consistency was a little smoother than ground beef, and frankly, it was tasty. And somehow, I managed not to imagine this guy too much while chewing.

P ordered the Texas dip, which was sliced brisket with a heaping cup o' BBQ sauce, and sweet potato fries. I dipped a fry into the BBQ sauce and it was quite tasty. The fries were great on their own, but the spicy, earthy, not-sicky-sweet sauce was a delicious addition.

J ordered the chicken club and very happy with it. Her only complaint (and a mild one at that) was that the sandwich was so tall it was tough to take a decent bite. It looked sooo good, and for a second I wondered if I should have gotten that. Looking back, though, I'm happy with my choice!

The two things I didn't like from our visit: the waffle fries and one thing our server did. J ordered a glass of wine and thought it tasted 'off.' We both tried a sip and agreed it was not good. She returned it and got another glass--didn't drink another sip of the one she didn't like. When we got the bill, we saw the server left the returned wine on there. Really? I think we all felt that one should not have been on the final count. By the time we were ready to leave, though, it was getting quite hectic there and we just figured we'd tip less. We still left a decent tip, but we would have left a MUCH bigger one if she'd taken the returned glass off the bill. Oh yeah.. and the waffle fries were terrible--dry, nothing to them, and a waste of your time--skip these! Yak burger, yes, waffle fries, no!

All in all, the extra wine wasn't that big a deal--we never felt rushed and we all enjoyed our food. I think we'll hit this place again down the road for sure--if you're in the mood for something different, hit up Waterfront Ale House!

Foodbuzz Featured Tool: Mandoline!

2010-06-09T20:28:00.005-04:00

Foodbuzz.com's special product today is the mandoline, which they're offering at 60 percent off!* I bought mine last year at the Williams-Sonoma outlet (how I heart that store!) and I love it! It's the perfect way to slice uniformly ribbon-thin or super-chunky pieces of food, from zucchini ribbons (like in my lasagna) to waffle-cut fries.

If you're someone who worries about cutting yourself with a knife, you might want to consider a mandoline. The blades are safely contained in the mandoline, and it comes with a food guard that attaches to the food itself, keeping your fingers far away from the razor-sharpness.

I sliced up the rest of my zucchini today for dinner. I decided to see just how thin I could get the veggies. These slices were so thin, I almost had to double up the pieces so the camera could focus on them. Sweet.

Do you have a mandoline? If so, what is your favorite food to dice, slice, or julienne?

*You do not have to be a food blogger to enjoy foodbuzz.com, just someone who loves food! :)

Low-Carb Lasagna

2010-06-08T16:09:00.020-04:00

I'm on a pretty serious low-carb kick these days, and by that I mean processed carbs and most sugar get the heave-ho, at least for a good long while. George Stella's cookbooks have been a standby for me, and I took his Meat Lasagna recipe and played around with it, adding more of some ingredients and less of others.

I browned a mix of ground beef and ground veal with some fresh garlic and a little bit of olive oil. Then as I layered that, I set the tomato sauce on the stove to simmer a bit with some spices.

Instead of noodles, which don't really give you much in the way of nutrition anyway, I cut thin slices of zucchini (loooooooove zucchini!) and used those instead. I layered the meat, cheese, zucchini, sauce until it almost bubbled over the top.

Oh! I forgot the fun part--I actually cooked the meat last week, seasoned it, yadda yadda, and then froze it, so putting this together took less than 15 minutes. It cooked for about 45, so I set about tidying up the living room while it baked.

I was pretty hungry, and it was getting late, so I didn't let it cool long enough (which is why it is a big, cheesy mess below on my plate). I steamed some broccoli as a side. This was pretty good, though I might season a bit more liberally AND add extra sauce next time around. I also froze more than half of it in individual portions and took one out every few days for work lunch or quick-and-easy dinners!

Connecticut Cookout

2010-06-07T22:21:00.019-04:00

My friends Beth and her husband T invited a group of us out to their CT home last weekend. It's about an hour outside of the city, and last-minute drama at work almost led me to cancel, but I soldiered through and made it there..and I'm so glad I did!

T made salmon burgers and regular burgers (notice the dimple in the burger, a classic Bobby Flay technique!), plus veggie skewers. I love, love, loooooove zucchini, so this was all A+ in my book.

We also had potato salad that was darn near as good as my Mom's! YUMMMMM! Chunks of red onion, a tangy vinegary-ness to it, oh man, was this good--I had two spoonfuls! It was a perfect complement to the juicy, cheesy burger that was cooked just right. Yummm! Summer is delicious.

But the star of the cookout, surely, was the specialty drink, The Breezy Reese (click on the link for the youtube how-to). It's a drink their friends made in their honor, with a taste of New Hampshire in a glass. You know I'm a sucker for New England, what with my roots being there and all, but even non-Yankees can appreciate this drink! Ruby red grapefruit vodka is a key ingredient, as well as cranberry soda. Beth was kind enough to be the bartender while T worked the grill. And I was kind enough not to have her make too many of these for me. ;)

It was a gorgeous night, and we enjoyed sitting in the backyard, visiting for a while. Then we moved the party in for a cutthroat few rounds of CatchPhrase before we all crashed for the night. All in all, a fantastic night of fun with friends. Next time, no work delays! I'll have to get there while there is still daylight, so I can see more of your lovely town. Thanks again, my Connecticut friends!

Use Real Stuff!

2010-06-03T14:58:00.009-04:00

One of my philosophies in eating, baking, cooking is to use real stuff! I use real butter, whole foods (as much as I can) and REAL vanilla extract. None of that artificially-flavored junk for me! It's not a snob thing (I eat Twinkies, I am NOT a food snob!), it's just that this ingredient REALLY makes a different to my taste buds.

The folks at Foodbuzz.com are offering one of my favorite vanillas, Nielsen-Massey, at a 14% discount today. This is definitely my favorite type of vanilla--from Madagascar. Tahitian is nice, too, and Mexican vanilla is a distant third. I used to LOOOOVE Mexican vanilla, but now I find the flavor far too strong. Hands down, the Madagascar type wins with me. If you don't have some already in your pantry, why don't you stop on by their site?

And while we're chatting, what's the one ingredient you won't compromise? Butter? Flavorings? Chocolate? Do share!

Happy Baking!

*photo not mine

Pazza Notte

2010-05-26T07:12:00.033-04:00

I can always count on my friend Holly P for excellent spots in the city. Her latest suggestion was to celebrate our friend Kwame landing a new job (Yayyy!) at Pazza Notte (Italian for Crazy Night). PN is just a few blocks from my office. Oh, did I mention the 2-for-1 martinis? And I don't mean your Humphrey Bogart, put-hair-on-your-chest kind. I mean the fruity, frilly, delicious kind :)

The rules for Happy Hour @Pazza Notte--you have to order 2 of the same flavor, and they bring them both at the same time. Odd, but brilliant. I mean if it's 2 for 1, you're definitely going to get a second one--why not save your server some trips? It's also served straight up, so there are no ice cubes to get all melty and whatnot. Holly P and I decided to share flavors. I ordered the passionfruit and she got the French (which we think has Chambord in it). They have plenty of other flavors, including white peach, lychee and blood orange.

The French version was good, but I wish the Chambord had just been a little stronger. The passionfruit, however, was outstanding.

Pazza is also known for its crispy pizzas and flatbreads. We started with the four cheese bruschetta, but it was really more like a soft garlic bread with a cheesy topping. It had flecks of rosemary, but just enough to flavor it, and not so much that I felt as if I were eating a pine tree. :) It only comes with 4 slices, so among the 3 of us, it wasn't very filling. Delicious, but not super filling. What are three hungry girls to do?

Oh right, order the pomodoro bruschetta!!! Also tasty and fresh! Again, just 4 pieces, so we each got a good bite or two before it was all gone.

We had a round or two before the guest of honor arrived, and that's when we ordered the Regina Pizza (artichokes, peppers, tomatoes, yummy!). The crust was light and had crispy edges. This was light, fresh and flavorful.

A few things to note: service can be really slow and spotty--I couldn't tell if our server was just busy/distracted or if we annoyed her? Also, they pack you in TIGHTLY. The table next to us was so close that we had to ask someone to move his chair so we could slip by to use the bathroom. Tight, tight quarters! At least we had a comfy booth!

Overall, this place is definitely worth revisiting. The martinis are 12 dollars for 2, an excellent price! The bruschetta was about 8 bucks a pop--not a lot of food, but tasty if you want a small bite of something. The pizza was really good--I'll be trying another flavor next time--after I've ordered my passionfruit martini, of course! Kudos once again to Holly P for picking a kick-butt place!!

Lobstah 101

2010-05-25T13:36:00.029-04:00

I finally did it! I finally cooked my own lobster. It was comical at best (for me, not the lobster), and ultimately delicious, but I still feel weird about it. I am a shameless carnivore, but I will gladly remove myself from the food-harvesting part of the food cycle. Then FreshDirect.com had to go and put lobsters on sale, and I figured the time had come to just suck it up and cook it myself. And by 'myself,' I mean with Kelli there to document each hilarious step.

Growing up in MA, lobsters were definitely a part of family meals, except I was still a prissy, picky little eater who would play with the lobster before it got cooked, even name him, and then watch other people eat him. I had no interest in seafood in my younger years (oh! How I would shake the younger me and enlighten myself about the deliciousness of succulent lobster meat, dunked in a dish of drawn butter. Alas...)

I ordered the lobster earlier in the week, and by the time my Saturday morning delivery arrived, I'd forgotten all about it. Until I started unloading the groceries and one of the bags MOVED! Yikes.

Kelli was standing by with the camera while I summoned up the wherewithal to PICK UP THE LOBSTER WITH HIS BIG SWINGING CLAWS THAT SEEMED SO HUGE AND UP IN MY FACE. At one point Kelli said "Don't swing his claws at me!" That made me laugh--and I completely shared the sentiment.

I picked up the lobster (Kelli named him Bob even though we agreed there would be no naming!!!) and when he started to squirm, I started to shriek. Yeah. Like a little girl. That's when I remembered my tongs (yay!) and used those to transport this 2-pounded to the pot of boiling water. CLANG! In a flurry of frantic flailing (more by me than the lobster), it was done. Bob was in the water and cooking away for the next 15 minutes.

While the lobster boiled, Kelli made the green beans. She buttered the pan, added some minced garlic, salt, and copious amounts of black pepper. She cooked these for just a few minutes, so they'd still have crunch and nutrients!

We made a simple green salad with romaine, cucumbers, gorgonzola dressing, and more black pepper. Crisp and refreshing (and low carb!)

This dinner was DELICIOUS, and total cost (with ingredients from FD and Trader Joe's) was about 17 dollars for TWO people---a lobster dinner for two! Delicious and affordable! I noticed the lobster is still on sale this week at FD..I think I'm going to snag a few more and take this lobster craving all the way! Wicked Good.